Rep. Rita Harris

Benefits, Training, and Employment for Veterans and Their Spouses; Requires analysis of VETS Program; revises duties of DVA & Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., to include assistance to veterans' spouses; revises purpose & duties of VETS Program to include assistance to veterans' spouses; requires Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., to assist veterans or their spouses in accessing employment & licensure in health care professions; requires DOH to waive certain fees for veterans & their spouses; requires appropriate board or DOH to expedite health care licensure applications submitted by veterans; establishes Office of Veteran Licensure Services; provides appropriations & authorizes positions. APPROPRIATION: $399,565

911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Certifications; Increases timeframe within which inactive 911 public safety telecommunicator certificate may be reactivated before it permanently expires; removes process by which certificateholder may voluntarily place his or her certificate in inactive status; prohibits DOH from requiring certificateholders to pay fee or to make election to place their certificates in inactive status, beginning on specified date; requires that certain fees paid by certificateholder before specified date be credited toward any future renewal fees required to be paid by certificateholder.

Assault or Battery on Hospital Personnel; Provides for reclassification of certain offenses committed against hospital personnel while engaged in performance of their duties.

High School Equivalency Diplomas; Prohibits district school board from requiring certain students to take course before taking high school equivalency examination unless student failed to earn passing score on specified practice test.

Individual Education Plans; Requires IEPs for certain students to contain information on legal rights & responsibilities that transfer to students at age 18; requires information to include ways in which student may provide informed consent to allow his or her parent to continue to participate in educational decisions.

Menstrual Hygiene Products in Public Schools; Authorizing school districts to make menstrual hygiene products available, at no charge, in schools within the district and at certain locations within such schools; specifying requirements for the menstrual hygiene products and the dispensers of such products; requiring participating schools to notify students of the availability and locations of such products; encouraging school districts to partner with specified organizations to supply and maintain such menstrual hygiene products, etc.

Required African-American Instruction; Requires each school district to certify & provide certain evidence to DOE regarding certain instruction; authorizes DOE to seek input from & contract with certain educational organizations for specified purposes; requires each school district to submit implementation plan to Commissioner of Education & post plan on its website; provides requirements for plan; requires commissioner or DOE to provide certain notification; provides timeframe within which school district must submit revisions to its plan; authorizes SBE to take certain actions.

Licensing Fee Relief; Waives portion of initial license application fee & renewal fees for certain licenses; provides maximum waiver; provides expiration. APPROPRIATION: $50,000,000

Florida Museum of Black History; Creates Florida Museum of Black History Task Force within Division of Historical Resources of DOS; provides for appointment of task force members by Governor & Legislature; provides requirements for members of task force; requires task force to develop certain plans & recommendations; requires task force to submit report to Governor & Legislature before certain date; provides for expiration of task force; authorizes Legislature to consider commissioning, construction, operation, & administration of Florida Museum of Black History.

Postsecondary Intellectual Freedom and Viewpoint Diversity; Removes provisions relating to intellectual freedom & viewpoint diversity assessment within FCS institutions & state universities; removes prohibition against SBE & BOG shielding specified individuals from free speech; removes prohibition against SBE & BOG shielding specified individuals from access to or observation of certain ideas & opinions; removes authorization for students to record video or audio of class lectures.